1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for editing and delivering image data transmitted from mobile terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has become popular to take pictures using electronic still cameras using charge-coupled-devices (CCDs) (for example). On the other hand, due to the advent of the Internet, the digital image data, stored in the electronic still camera, can be transmitted, via a mobile terminal, to another information terminals such as display-equipped mobile terminals, personal computers, etc. across the Internet. However, due to limited functions of editing image data of the mobile terminal, it is obliged to transmit the image data to another information terminals without adding any modification or edition to the image data.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 8-138033 discloses a system wherein a large scale virtual server is established by virtually combining a plurality of facsimile, OCR (optical character reader) servers, etc. separately located in a network, thereby to facilitate processing of different type image data.
Further, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 8-214373 discloses a service station provided in a communication network. Image data transmitted from mobile terminals are stored in the service station and then delivered to the intended destinations. The image data stored in the service station can be retrieved in response to a request by the image data transmitter, and accordingly, it is possible for the mobile terminal to confirm the image data already dispatched therefrom.
Still further, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-149309 discloses a system wherein a plurality of fixed service stations each having a large memory capacity are provided at various convenient places in a city. Mobile terminals are able to transmit image data to the nearby service stations, and the data stored in the service station is relayed to the instructed destination. Therefore, it is possible to compensate for the limited memory capacity of each mobile terminal.
Each of the above-mentioned related techniques, however, fails to disclose or teach a service station for receiving image data from mobile terminals, editing the image data, and delivering the edited image data in response to a request by an intended image data receiver across the Internet.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of receiving image data from mobile terminals, editing the image data, and delivering the edited image data in response to a request by an intended image data receiver across the Internet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a service station (or apparatus) for receiving image data from mobile terminals, editing the image data, and delivering the edited image data in response to a request by an intended image data receiver across the Internet.
These objects are fulfilled by the technique wherein in order to transmit image data, across the internet, from a mobile terminal, a particular station (service station) is provided in a mobile communication network that is linked to the internet. A subscriber to the mobile communication network transmits instructions, which includes image data editing information and image data destination information, to the particular station. Thereafter, the subscriber transmits image data to the particular station wherein the image data is edited according to the image data editing information. The edited image data is then stored in a suitable memory, after which the particular station informs, across the internet, an image data receiver, specified by the destination information, that the edited image data is ready to be downloaded from the memory by the image data receiver. The order of uploading the pieces of the image data editing and destination information can be reversed.
One aspect of the present invention resides in a method of transmitting image data across the Internet, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving, at a particular station provided in a mobile communication network, instruction data transmitted thereto from a subscriber of said mobile communication network, said instruction data including image data editing information and image data destination information, and said mobile communication network being linked to the Internet; (b) receiving image data from said subscriber at said particular station; (c) editing said image data according to said image data editing information at said particular station; (d) storing the edited image data in a memory provided in said particular station; and (d) informing, across the Internet, an image data receiver, specified by said destination information, that the edited image data is ready to be downloaded from said memory by said image data receiver.
Another aspect of the present invention resides in an apparatus (or service station), provided in a particular station in a mobile communication network, for transmitting image data across the Internet, comprising: a controller for controlling an overall operation of said apparatus; an editing data memory for storing instruction data transmitted from a subscriber of said mobile communication network, said instruction data including image data editing information and image data destination information, and said mobile communication network being linked to the internet; an image data memory for storing image data from said subscriber; an image data editor for editing said image data according to said image data editing information; and an edited image data memory for storing the edited image data, wherein said controller informs, across the internet, an image data receiver specified by said destination information that the edited image data is ready to be downloaded from said memory by said image data receiver.